


Heroes Dress In Black

by Inu_Sama



Series: TEEN WOLF [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, But also canon because i have no imagination, F/M, M/M, Mental Illness, Out of Character, Pre-Slash, Relationships undecided - Freeform, Slash, Slow To Update, Smart Scott, Torture, Which i'd say is canon, Wolf Pack, pack bonds, stiles is a good bro
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-16
Updated: 2018-08-23
Packaged: 2019-05-24 03:03:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14946401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inu_Sama/pseuds/Inu_Sama
Summary: The phone slipped from his suddenly numb fingers when he saw a large black snout poke out from beside the tree he was hiding behind.Scott backed up, his breath hitching when two glowing red eyes peered at him from the darkness. His poor heart skipped a beat in fear when its nose twitched and long ears pricked forward as Scott started cursing under his breath.





	1. Chapter 1

Scott wheezed against a nearby tree, searching his pockets for his inhaler. “Shit.” He swore quietly, finding nothing. He must have dropped it at some point. The dark haired teen warily glanced back at the hill he’d just tumbled down, he didn’t think he could get back up there to search for it - wait. 

He’d had it when he fell, he was sure. It would be down here somewhere. As he worked on his breathing like the nurse at his middle school had taught him, Scott looked around. Seeing nothing but vague shapes and twinkling lights overhead in the darkness, he groaned, once again cursing his bad luck. 

Why did shit like this always have to happen to him? He knew  _ why  _ he was  _ alone  _ in a rumoured-to-be super  _ dangerous  _ forest at the dead of night, but he couldn’t find it in himself to blame Stiles. His best friend was simply too curious for his -and others’- own good. 

Despite not being angry at Stiles for his current situation, his mind was all too happy to conjure up the memory of that poor dead girl’s body instead and he grimaced. 

She had looked only about his age or maybe a bit older - he honestly hadn’t stopped to get a closer look when he realised what it was he’d literally  _ stepped on  _ in his blind quest to get out of the forest. He was going to have to tell the Sheriff - or at the very least, Stiles.

He hoped doing something so disrespectful wouldn’t come back to bite him in the ass. It was an accident, after all.

Brought out of his thoughts by the ominous squawk of a nearby crow, Scott pulled out his phone and turned the flashlight on. 

He needed to get home before his mom came back from work. Also this forest was fucking creepy. It had  _ crows _ , for fuck’s sake! But after a few short minutes of kicking up leaves with nothing to show for it but the tightness in his chest, Scott fell back on his butt. 

He turned the light off before it could drain his battery and thought about what to do next. He needed his inhaler, it was literally a life saver. 

His life saver - also it was stupidly expensive to replace and he knew his mom would make him fork out the money, punishment for losing it in the first place.

Should he call someone? Scott thumbed his phone unlocked and hesitated, letting the screen go dark again. Stiles would come to him, despite what his dad had said, he was good like that - but Scott didn’t want to get him in trouble. 

He’d already covered for him when the Sheriff caught them, Scott didn’t want to ask more of him tonight. Was it serious enough for him to call his mom? Scott snorted and pushed off from the ground with a huff, there was nothing short of a life or death situation he would risk the wrath of his mother for. 

No, if he just took his time, Scott could make it to Stiles’ jeep and drive himself home. He didn’t have his license yet, but he’d watched Stiles enough that he was confident he could make it the five miles to his house. 

So, when his breaths calmed into something more manageable, Scott put his phone back in his pocket and started in the direction he thought the entrance was.

“F-Fuck….sake…” Scott hissed, hands on his knees as he tried to drag in some much needed oxygen. It had only been ten minutes and he was already reduced to a choking mess. 

_ It’s not fair, dammit!  _

It probably wasn’t good to keep stressing his body out like this, but that thought was on the peripheral. Oxygen was more important. He’d only just managed to take a full breath without coughing, when he heard it; a howl. 

It tore through the chilly night air, full of grief and anger as all the nightlife stilled, including Scott. What kind of animal could have made such a gut-wrenching sound? He released a shuddering breath, noticing the heat from his mouth came out like a cloud of smoke. 

It had the timbre of a wolf - which should have been impossible. It also sounded too deep, and... _ bigger _ than something a mere wolf could produce.

It was moot anyway because the last of the wolves were driven out of Beacon Hills over fifty years ago. Stiles had told him once, amid one of his many,  _ many  _ rants about the stupidity of the government - which Scott normally found funny as both their dads held high positions in the police force. 

But now Scott could only feel his insides chill when there was a  _ crack!  _ behind him. Like someone - some _ thing _ had stepped on a twig. 

Thankfully it was still a great distance away. The only reason he’d heard it in the first place was because everything had gone eerily quiet, only the harsh sounds of his stunted breathing could be heard. It was with some difficulty that Scott straightened up and turned toward the sound. 

After a moment or two of dead silence, there was another  _ crack! _ and Scott flinched, his panic rising. Heart pounding in his throat, the teen ducked behind a tree and waited. He wanted to run, so  _ so  _ bad, but he knew that would do more harm than good. 

Without his inhaler, it wouldn’t be long before his stupid body gave out on him - adrenaline rush or not, and then whatever it was would have an easy meal. Scott swallowed as there was another  _ crack _ , this one sounding a hell of a lot closer than before. It was something big, and it was moving fast. 

He could hear the pounding of giant paws thudding against the soft earth - it was running toward him. Scott sucked in a panicked breath and pulled out his phone with shaking hands. But he was struck once again with who to call. 

Though it  _ was  _ a life or death situation now, he knew he couldn’t involve his mother - she was only a nurse! His numb fingers glided over the screen until he reached Stiles’ dad in his contacts. 

He was about to press ‘call’ when the thudding stopped, the creature coming to a standstill behind him. It took great heaving breaths as if it too were asthmatic. 

Scott wanted to laugh at the hilarity of something like that being possible, but he could only feel the ice in his veins, the fear in his heart. There was a great inhale and then a growl and Scott knew he was fucked. 

The phone slipped from his fingers when he saw a large black snout poke out from beside the tree he was hiding behind. Scott backed up, his breath hitching when two glowing red eyes peered at him from a decidedly wolfish head - but wolves don’t get  _ that  _ big! 

This one was the size of a horse and as thick as a bear. His poor heart skipped a beat in fear when its nose twitched and long ears pricked forward as Scott started cursing under his breath. 

It was as if he hoped the words would turn out to be some kind of spell to  _ get him out of there _ . It would be okay if it were only a few feet behind the monster -  _ anything  _ to at the very least give him a head start. 

But fear froze him to the spot and Scott blamed his thrice damned bad luck when those giant jaws opened, showing a row of sharp-looking teeth that seemed perfect for tearing him apart. 

He braced himself for the inevitable impact and pain, raising his arms to protect his head instinctively. He wasn’t disappointed, unfortunately, and he screamed when those teeth pierced his skin.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Scott woke up feeling like shit. Brightness pierced his heavy lids and everything sounded like it was underwater. Still thick with sleep, Scott struggled to focus on it.

He managed to pull himself further into the waking world and the dull buzzing became a high pitched ringing. It was his phone. He grunted in irritation, the ringing was starting to get to him. It felt like it was hitting his eardrums a lot harder and sharper than before. Scott felt his way above his head for it, freezing when he brushed against wet ground.

The last dregs of drowsiness abruptly left him when he realised he wasn’t in his room. Eyes widening as he took in his surroundings, Scott dived for his phone.

"Stiles!" he croaked in relief, sitting up. He needed a drink, badly.

 _[Scott? Where the hell are you, man?! You’re late!]_ His best friend berated, worry lacing his otherwise stern tone. Scott felt himself smile, but it faded when he once again looked around.

"Uh, I got lost….last night." He hedged, not willing to talk about what he’d seen until he could process it himself. He twisted to check the other side of the clearing and winced, his side burned like the twist of a knife.

 _[Scott? What do you--]_ There was a pause as Stiles’ brilliant mind made the connection. Then there was a noise, kind of like a groan and then another pause.

 _[Sorry, look I’ll--I’ll come get you okay? I just have to get out of English, hold on--]_ Scott shakily picked himself up as Stiles must have pulled the phone from his ear and there was the rustle of fabric and muffled voices.

 _[---his is the third time this week, Stilinski! Don’t think I will allow this next time!]_ could be heard before a door opening and closing, Stiles’ breathing and then the familiar clunk of the jeep door.

 _[Stay on the line okay? I’ll be there soon.]_ He reassured, the worry having doubled as no doubt terrible scenarios were running through his best friend’s head.

"I’m _okay_ , Stiles." He said lowly, feeling compelled to make that worry disappear forever. There was an incredulous huff, almost missed by the engine roaring to life.

But Scott heard it nonetheless - in fact, he could hear a lot of things. He could hear the birds waking up high in the trees above him, their frantic little _heartbeats_.

He almost dropped his phone when the sound of hooves reached him, startling him until he realised they weren’t right beside him. They were further off, down near a…. Scott tilted his head, as if that would make his hearing better.

He wanted to laugh at himself, but then he found the distinct gurgling of a stream the deer must be drinking at. Their heartbeats were slower, more relaxed than the birds’ were. Was that because they were bigger? Oh-- and the smells!

The scent of rich earth and wet leaves was intoxicating, the once creepy forest transforming into a haven of clean air and pure sounds - the sounds of animals.

 _[---ott, SCOTT!]_ Stiles shouted, the sound of another car’s horn and the jeep swerving could be heard on the other line and Scott jerked out of his wonderlust. He put the phone to his ear.

“Sorry, what? I was just…” But he trailed off, not sure how to explain what he was experiencing without sounding crazy.

 _[Oh my god, you’re delirious--Of course you are! You’ve been out in the cold and rain all night! You probably have a cold! Pneumonia, even!]_ Stiles, in his mounting panic, then started listing off all the nasty diseases and infections he could have caught.

 _[I mean, your immune system’s already compromised because of the asthma or whatever, right?]_ Scott rolled his eyes and started walking west - he didn’t know why, but he just knew that was where the entrance was.

“Yes, Stiles--But I’m fine! Honestly, I feel... _good_.” Better than he’d ever felt, especially since he was diagnosed with severe asthma when he was eight. Stiles’ talk of diseases had him lifting up his jumper midway through the forest and he paused.

Placing the phone in the crook of his neck, Scott pressed his fingers to the silver bite mark on his hip, tracing the savage outline. Somehow, during the night, it had scarred over like he’d had it for years. And now that he was up and moving around it didn’t hurt at all.

Frowning, Scott let his jumper cover him again and continued walking. It didn’t take him long to notice that his asthma was gone and he didn’t know whether to be happy or extremely concerned. His mom said he might still grow out of it, but that doesn’t happen literally _overnight!_

He made it to the gate just as Stiles pulled up. Scott pressed the red ‘end’ button, cutting off the call and shoved his phone in his jeans pocket - which was soaking, like the rest of him. Grimacing, he quickly pulled it back out.

He really hoped all that rain hadn’t done permanent damage. He could make calls, apparently, but that didn’t mean the little device was okay.

He flinched when he got a chest full of best friend, Stiles had always lamented the fact that Scott was always taller than him.

He didn’t feel like teasing him about it right now though, if the guilt he could smell (and wasn’t that a surprise!) Stiles probably wouldn’t appreciate it.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry Scott! I shouldn’t have left you there! Anything could have happened!” Stiles whispered against his neck, arms tightening around him reflexively when Scott returned the hug. Scott hummed deep in his throat, the reassuring sound surprising them both.

It sounded less than human and Scott blushed, glad that Stiles still had his head against him. The sound seemed to have relaxed the smaller male some nonetheless, and Scott was grateful for it.

But there was something burning in the back of his mind, he needed to do something. Or--or _see_ someone? But the more Scott tried to grasp it, the more the thought slipped away.

He sighed, enjoying the warmth tucked against him, it felt right. Like Stiles was supposed to be there, like how he’d always been there, right beside him.

He knew it was nothing romantic--it never had been, it was more like….

_‘Pack’_

The word slithered, unbidden, through his mind and Scott stilled. He gaped, surprised that a single word could feel so right.

“Scott? Are you okay?” Stiles was confused when he pulled back (reluctantly, that boy was warm!) to look his best friend in the eye, albeit craning his neck a bit to do so. Bloody growth spurts! When would his happen?

Scott looked a little pale, liked he’d just gotten over a huge sickness. Stiles frowned, extracting himself completely.

“Hey, look, why don’t we ditch today? You look like you could use it.” He suggested, he could pick them up some greasy foods and then head back to his place, his dad was working all day anyway.

Scott blinked, looking down at Stiles. He smiled, slow and small.

“Sure, thanks.”

**\-------**

Peter Hale hated his life.

In the thirty odd years he's been alive, he could count on _one hand_ the number of times he's been truly happy. And then...the Hale fire happened and everything went to _shit_. He'd underestimated just how shitty his life could get.

He winced internally when another shot of wolfsbane was injected into his system, as outwardly he was unable to move a muscle.

 _'Fucking Hunters…'_ he snarled in his mind as the burning in his veins increased and he wanted to _scream_ and _writhe_ , but he _couldn't_ and it was so _frustrating_.

It was like he was back there, burning as he tried to get the children through the weakest point of the Wolfsbane circle. Fat lot of good that did, they still all died. Except him. Except lucky _lucky_ him.

No one knew what was being done to him, the humans probably wouldn't care if they did. He was just a monster to them, hell, he was a monster among his own family. There was a reason he'd made such a good Enforcer. His wolf had always been a bit too close to the surface for most.

Because of this, it was highly distressing to not be able to feel it prowling in the back of his mind like he used to. The wolfsbane cut him off from it completely until the full moon, cutting out everything he was. Peter suspected that was why he couldn't move, he was little more than a burned vegetable without it.

He was wheeled back into his room by that bitch of a nurse, Jenny or something... _Jennifer_ , that was it. Jennifer was a real piece of work, that one. As far as he could tell, she was working alone. But he knew she was part of the Hale massacre, she boasted about it often enough.

Apparently she'd been tasked with the very important mission of torturing the last Hale into insanity. But Peter knew that Kate had abandoned her once she skipped town and this was only her way of making sure no one followed.

"Now, don't go anywhere, okay?" She whispered in his ear, tittering at her own joke. With how drugged up he was, he couldn't even open his mouth, let alone escape while the vile woman's back was turned.

She parked him next to the window, it was the only mercy she would give him, to be able to see the sky, the trees. She thought it would torture him, being so close to the outside world, to being free. But he wasn't going to tell her otherwise.

"I'll be _right_ back!" She chirped, poking him on the nose. He wanted to kill her. _'Next full moon, next full moon…'_ He chanted like a prayer, like a promise.

But when the next full moon came, Jennifer did something she hadn't ever done before; she took him out into the woods. It was the first time he'd been out of the hospital in years and he felt somewhat exposed in the chilly night air, despite the ugly cardigan the bitch insisted on dressing him in.

He was dumped unceremoniously out of the wheelchair in a sprawl of limbs, mud splashing up the side of his face. She smirked and squatted down to run a thin hand through his unkempt hair. He wanted to shake her off, bite her hand if he had to, just, _anything!_

But it was no use, he was still so _numb_...

"Now you be a good boy and stay in these woods, okay? There's someone you need to meet." She injected him with something, he didn't know what, and then she was gone.

He was left lying there in the cold and the damp, unable to move when the moon came out from behind the clouds. His mouth opened in a silent scream when that seemingly innocuous light hit his skin. He could feel it, his wolf. It was back!

But then the pain came and he knew it had been too long, his wolf was feral. It was fighting against him, he couldn't control it. Bones cracked and rearranged themselves as he started to shift. And this time he really did scream, the sound half human and half wolf. God, it _hurt!_

Then Peter Hale was no more, in his place a bloodthirsty wolf that had been denied freedom for far too long. The scent of _Alpha_ was high on the wind. It was time to hunt.


	3. Chapter 3

Scott's nose twitched as he took in the scent of _wolf_ , subconsciously baring his teeth. Someone had been in _his_ house, touched _his_ stuff, their scent was _everywhere_ . He dropped his pack on his made bed as his nails lengthened into claws, instinct telling him to _hunt_ , to _tear_ , to _rip_ the intruder _apart_ even though they were no longer there.

He inhaled deeply and found that the scent wasn't too old. He growled, deep in his chest as he tossed his phone on the bed too. He must have just missed them.

 _'That means,'_ Scott thought with a nasty grin, full of too sharp teeth, _'I can still catch them.'_ and with that he was out the window, not caring if anyone saw him right at this moment. He was on a mission, his newly-acquired instincts almost swallowing him up.

Scott landed gracefully on his feet, despite the considerable drop from the second floor as he used his hands to stabilize his weight on the wet earth beneath him. He looked to the forest surrounding his home, nose high in the air to catch some sort of trail.

 _'There~'_ A low sound rumbled from his chest when he spotted the arrogant wolf standing just out of sight in the treeline. Scott followed the wolf's path with glowing red eyes as he stepped into sight, hands up in the universal sign of peace. Something tugged at the back of his mind; a memory, of Stiles going on and on about the--

 _The Hale fire._ He was older now, obviously, but Scott could see the same features he'd seen in the newspapers all those years ago. Derek Hale. While it was nice to put a name to the scent, it still didn't excuse the wolf's _trespassing_. Tragic backstory or not.

Scott bared his fangs but made no sound this time, a warning, watching in satisfaction as Hale stopped when he was a few feet away. He noticed, with some amusement, that he kept himself _out_ of lunging distance.  

 _'Smart Wolf'_ Scott thought with a grin. Derek cleared his throat, seemingly unnerved by his unflinching gaze. Stiles' research into what happened to him a few days ago had brought little of use, only the shit you'd find in a fantasy book. And the other stuff...well he had no way to verify its accuracy. So he was relying more on his instincts to guide him and it had been working so far.

It felt natural for the other wolf to bow to him in this situation, so he wasn't surprised when Hale bared his throat and got on his knees, hands staying in the air. An approving purr rumbled out from his chest before he could stop it. He _was_ surprised, however, when said wolf shivered.

It was a full body affair that had Hale stooping forward before righting himself, a blush on those high cheekbones. Scott wasn't embarrassed though, in fact, since he'd become a werewolf, he couldn't get embarrassed about _anything_. He could be butt-naked right now and he wouldn't care because it seemed that along with cool reflexes and enhanced senses, he was also given the confidence to be in his own skin without care for what others thought.

A treasure every teenager worth their salt would _kill_ for. Despite that, he still remembered all too clearly what it felt like, so he gave the other wolf a minute to compose himself. Having such a strong response to Scott's wolf had clearly left Hale wrong-footed, like this wasn't in the plan at all and he was trying to adjust. So he'd let him.

"Why were you in my house?" Scott demanded eventually, when the minute was up and Hale looked no closer to pulling himself together enough to speak. He'd decided to take the initiative, his fangs retracting enough for him to talk.

"I apologise, had I known..." A gruff but polite voice trailed off quietly and Scott cocked his head, eyes returning to their natural brown as he assessed the wolf in front of him. His senses were telling him Hale was not a threat, but he was still somewhat upset about the wolf coming into his territory unannounced.

"Had you known what?" He asked curiously, straightening out of his crouch and getting to his feet. He snarled, eyes glowing again when Hale tried to do the same. He easily pushed that part of himself down again when the wolf stayed in the mud. Hale cleared his throat again, as if he were buying time to come up with something convincing. Scott narrowed his eyes and closed the distance between them.

"I hope you aren't going to lie to me, _Derek_ ." He purred when he reached him, a clawed hand gripping the back of the wolf's neck. It was gentle, more a warning of what _could_ happen. This was his first time meeting another wolf, but his instincts demanded the other wolf submit to him and he was having a hard time disagreeing.

It smelt like Derek was alone, just like him, and he needed another, hopefully more knowledgeable wolf with him. Stiles tries to understand, but fundamentally he can't, he was only a human. He needed another wolf, he needed this wolf.

Derek stiffened at the contact, the scent of fear making its way to Scott's nose, despite how tightly controlled the wolf below him kept it and he frowned. Just what did he think he was going to do? Scott wasn't going to hurt him, not unless Hale started it first. He needed the older wolf in his pack, alienating him would be a few steps in the wrong direction.

"H-How do you know--"

"Your name? I was still real little when the fire happened, but I had a chatty friend whose dad was on the force." He explained, leaning down to whisper into Hale's ear. "And I _never_ forget a face," There was that shiver again and Scott pulled back, coming around into Derek's line of sight again.

He was about to repeat his question when Derek spoke first, looking more settled now that he could see Scott.

"I'm looking for someone, an Alpha. He--" His voice cracked, but that was the only indication of his distress so Scott stayed where he was and waited patiently for him to continue.

"He killed my sister, she was lured here on the last full moon and when I hadn't heard from her--" Derek pressed his lips together, clenching his hands into fists to ground himself. His dark gaze flickered up to meet glowing red ones.

"You smelled like him, so I thought...but now that I'm closer, it's not you." He said begrudgingly, he'd known it was a long shot when he picked up the trail in the forest and saw it led to a kid's room, but he was still disappointed it wasn't that straightforward. Nothing ever was, and now the trail was too weak to follow. He'd been lucky with the one he'd found.

Amazingly, there was another Alpha in Beacon Hills, but he refused to get his hopes up. This one was just a kid that let his wolf stay too close to the surface, like his Uncle Peter had. He wouldn't be able to help. Said teen cocked his head to the side again, like he was listening to something Derek couldn't hear, a moue between his brows.

"And you're disappointed because you found me instead, a kid." Scott surmised, uncaring of the look he got. It wasn't rocket science to figure out the wolf was hoping he was the killer, Hale probably just wanted this over with so he could grieve for his loss. It was a good sign though, that he wasn't mad with grief, that he still had the wherewithal to treat the meeting of an Alpha right.

Scott clucked his tongue idly, folding his arms. His eyes returned to normal and his claws and teeth disappeared. Derek seemed surprised by the control, and Scott supposed he would be. He was underestimating the Alpha because he was newly turned. _'He will learn. In time.'_ Scott thought, with absolute confidence. Now he just needed to make sure the other wolf stuck around long enough for that. If he had to help kill this other wolf, then he would do it.

"So, your sister, was she an Alpha? Is that why you smell like that?" He asked, ignoring the minute curl of Derek's upper lip in favour of watching the glowing blue eyes locked on his. Derek frowned and eyed Scott warily. "Smell like what?"

" _Omega_ ." Scott rumbled in a deep and almost inhuman voice, red eyes glowing. He knew that the terms Stiles had come up with were real when Derek began talking about an Alpha. He was hazarding a guess that Derek was Omega, as the very definition was _'lone wolf'_. He didn't imagine a Beta would smell like that.

He also didn't know if Blue eyes were proof of his status or something else. Derek looked away with a pinched expression, taking in a deep breath as if to center himself.

"You're newly turned, did--did you kill your Sire?" Derek finally got out, voice trembling just a little. If Scott were human, he wouldn't have picked up on it. As he'd thought, this wolf could teach him things. Things that his instincts refused to clarify, or simply couldn't express.

"No." Scott shook his head, he'd gotten his hair cut the first few days after he was turned and now it was shaved on the sides and back, the top of his hair shortened and swept to the side. His mother had been very shocked to see him suddenly come home like that, but Scott felt like he'd needed a change. Plus, his instincts thought his new hair would be harder to grab in a fight.

"I got lost in this forest a week ago and got bit. I woke up an Alpha, at least I think that's what I am. My instincts can only tell me so much." Scott answered truthfully, staring out into the thick shrubbery as he remembered that night. Then a thought occurred to him and his mouth opened slightly. He ignored the sharp intake of disbelief from the Omega to share his new epiphany.

"I think my 'Sire' and the killer you're looking for might be the same wolf." It would make sense, from what Derek had unwittingly revealed, it wasn't easy to become an alpha. Scott nodded to himself, he was sure.

"Yes, that's the only explanation. The Killer wolfed out on the full moon and got your sister, the Alpha, took her power and then bit me." He felt incredulous eyes on the side of his face as he frowned into the forest.

Most people thought he was a little slow because of the doe-eyed shape of his eyes and because he played sports, and he didn't have nothing on Stiles. But he got by. Though it was still kind of insulting that he still managed to surprise people, even Stiles, who he'd known since they were barely old enough to talk.

"But--But that's _impossible!_ Just what kind of fucked up luck do you have, to be in the forest at that exact moment, on that exact night?!" Scott snorted bitterly, thinking of all the times he's been in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was like Fate had a personal vendetta against him or something. There was silence for a few moments and Scott could hear his mom's car turning onto their street.

"Look, I'll help you find him--I'll even help you kill him." Scott bent down to look the Omega in the eyes, inches away from their noses touching. "But you gotta do something for me _first_." Derek's expression closed off, and he grit out; "What do you want?" Scott smiled, showing too much teeth to be polite, his eyes glowing a bloodthirsty red.

"I want you to join my pack, Mr. Hale. Become my Second." He didn't fully understand what a 'Second' was, but his inner wolf was demanding it. He figured it was just like a second in command or an advisor or something like that. But clearly it went deeper than that as Derek's eyes widened and his mouth opened in shock. Then it turned into anger.

"You barely know me! Why would you trust me that much?" Then Derek's eyes narrowed. "You don't know what it means, do you? Not really...you don't know--"

"Then _teach_ me, Derek." Those words shut the wolf up, his pinched expression mellowing out some, but not completely.

Scott's ear twitched when he heard the squeal of his mother's brakes as she pulled into the driveway. He didn't have much time left and he didn't feel like explaining to his mom why he was crouching in the mud with a stranger. He needed to hurry this up.

"Why?" Derek asked again, glaring at him. But Scott could tell it was half hearted at best. He made eye contact again, letting a tiny bit of his confusion show in the crinkling of his eyebrows and the frustrated twist to his mouth.

"I don't _know_ why, okay?" Scott shook his head, exasperated, when it looked like Derek was gearing up to say something that was no doubt demeaning. "I don't know what _for_ , but I _need_ you. I can feel it, right down to the bone that you're **_MINE._ ** " He growled the last word before abruptly moving away and standing up, his mother was inside now and calling his name.

The Alpha looked over his shoulder back at the house as Derek tried to collect himself after that intense confession. Derek didn't think it was in a romantic way, it couldn't be. Soulmates weren't real, the kid was probably just confused. He wanted pack and so he was latching onto the first available wolf. It wasn't _Derek_ specifically he wanted. The born-wolf kept telling himself that as he tried to calm his racing heart.

"Do we have a deal?" Scott asked, keeping tabs on his mother's footfalls moving through the house as he turned back to Derek. She would check his bedroom soon and it would raise questions of why he wasn't there when all his stuff was. When his _phone_ was. Everyone knew teenagers didn't go anywhere willingly without their phones. She would realise that and start to worry.

"Y-Yes." Was the quiet reply he got, Derek's head bowed as he stared at the leaves in front of him like they would provide him with all the answers. "Alright, good. You need to go though, my mom's home." And as Derek stood, the first of what he was sure to be many obstacles in their time together, presented itself. But this one came with an easy solution.

"Give me your phone." Scott ordered lightly, holding out his hand expectantly. Derek seemed to grumble slightly, too low for even _his_ ears to catch, but he did as asked. Scott let out another purr of approval and turned the phone around so he could put his number in, making sure to memorise Derek's while he was there.

Derek tried not to let that purr outwardly affect him, even if it sent a pleasant shock of electricity racing up his spine. "I really don't have time right now, but I'll text later so we can meet, okay?" Scott asked, bouncing on his feet a little as his mother dropped her stuff off in her room. His room would be next. But he waited for Derek's nod before turning his back, a sign of trust, and raced back the way he'd come.

Derek watched the teen easily scale the side panelling and up into his bedroom. He waited, listening to their conversation before moving back into the shadows. From what he could hear, the kid was a good liar. Able to think on his feet, and smart. More importantly, in complete control of his wolf. Derek could have done worse. Once he was out of ear shot he sighed gustily.

"A True Alpha, huh?" He muttered, still somewhat unable to believe it. He'd heard stories about them, but… Derek shook his head, feeling the inside of his jacket pocket for the inhaler he'd found. It was actually what helped lead him to the kid-- _Scott_ , if his mother's voice could be believed. Yes, he could have done a lot worse than a fucking _True Alpha_.


End file.
